Hacker Ethic

The "Hacker Ethic" refers to a set of values that emphasize the free sharing of information, open access, collaboration, and the joy of creating technology for the sake of technology itself. John Carmack, a well-known figure in the gaming industry, discusses his view on the hacker ethic, describing it as a belief in sharing information freely rather than keeping it to oneself. He highlights that this ethic teaches that sharing does not lessen one's own resources but rather enhances the communal knowledge base. Additionally, Carmack appreciates the ability to take joy in the successes of others rather than being overly competitive, which is often seen in other fields 1.

This ethic was profoundly influential during the early days of computing, especially among the first hackers at MIT and the start-up culture in Silicon Valley. The notion extends to the practices within the programming community, such as open-source software, where programmers improve upon each other's work and share the results with the community, rather than for personal profit 2.